It really does at times make me think that the entire goal of the Democratic Party is just to placate minority groups, knowing that they will soon be the majority and the ticket to power.

Well that IS the entire goal of the Democratic Party. It's so easy to see. So many of their leaders voted for a wall time after time.Then they figured out that unfettered illegal immigration flipped California permanently Blue. And the light bulb went on.

So they changed their position with the hope of flipping Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, etc permanently Blue.

And in the process alienated the middle class.

Now they are just doubling down on failure at this point. (well, I guess we will know in the next election)

It really does at times make me think that the entire goal of the Democratic Party is just to placate minority groups, knowing that they will soon be the majority and the ticket to power.

Well that IS the entire goal of the Democratic Party. It's so easy to see. So many of their leaders voted for a wall time after time.Then they figured out that unfettered illegal immigration flipped California permanently Blue. And the light bulb went on.

So they changed their position with the hope of flipping Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, etc permanently Blue.

And in the process alienated the middle class.

Now they are just doubling down on failure at this point. (well, I guess we will know in the next election)

I thought these were going to replace air travel? It's almost like the socialists are completely insane.

"Originally the project was expected to cost $33 billion and to be completed next year. It ended up reaching $77 billion and, per one projection made last March, could have ended up growing to $98 billion. Canceling the SF-LA route must seem to Newsom like a massive savings at this stage of the sunk-cost dilemma."

they still openly embrace elitist stances that more or less can be described as "I know what is better for you than you do", but again, only when it comes to certain "segments" of the population

Quite an imagination you have, Greg.

I am not embracing this stance - I am merely saying that there is some evidence that people do not, in fact, "know whats best for them".

Knowing this fact (or at least acknowledging the lack of evidence to the contrary) means we should proceed with caution.

I would also suggest the same caution before you make posts assuming my position - as you have done frequently.

LC the very fact that we see increased regulation, increased laws, increased social programs, should be evidence enough that the government thinks it knows what's best for you. Just last month I had to have an inspector come into my house and look at the screw patterns on my drywall to make sure it was "safe." Only once I paid $100 and had this approved was I allowed to put mud over it. Sure, this is on the local level, but the principle is the same. Government is getting involved in things they have no business knowings.

It's not the governments job to play mommy and daddy for its citizens.

"Everyone wants to live at the expense of the State. They forget that the State lives at the expense of everyone. " Frederic Bastiat

“Freedom is not empowerment. Empowerment is what the Serbs have in Bosnia. Anybody can grab a gun and be empowered. It's not entitlement. An entitlement is what people on welfare get, and how free are they? It's not an endlessly expanding list of rights -- the "right" to education, the "right" to food and housing. That's not freedom, that's dependency. Those aren't rights, those are the rations of slavery -- hay and a barn for human cattle. There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences.” P.J. O'Rourke

LC the very fact that we see increased regulation, increased laws, increased social programs, should be evidence enough that the government thinks it knows what's best for you. Just last month I had to have an inspector come into my house and look at the screw patterns on my drywall to make sure it was "safe." Only once I paid $100 and had this approved was I allowed to put mud over it. Sure, this is on the local level, but the principle is the same. Government is getting involved in things they have no business knowings.

Yeah so this is question around regulation, correct?

We've got some anarchists on this board who will happily welcome you into their ranks

I agree not all regulations are "good". Some are outdated, some are lobbied by industry to provide barriers to entry, some are created simply to siphon rents for government, and some are genuinely sensible.

For example, what if you put all your drywall screws through the romex and it started an electrical fire, and burned down your house and died? Or even worse if it burned down half the block, and threw out the transformer and the neighborhood lost power?

Building codes exist for a few reasons:1- the homeowner's safety and assurance2- the safety and assurance of your neighbors3- shared lower costs of insurance premiums4- general ease of burden on shared services (utility services/repairs, firefighters, ambulances, etc.)

LC the very fact that we see increased regulation, increased laws, increased social programs, should be evidence enough that the government thinks it knows what's best for you. Just last month I had to have an inspector come into my house and look at the screw patterns on my drywall to make sure it was "safe." Only once I paid $100 and had this approved was I allowed to put mud over it. Sure, this is on the local level, but the principle is the same. Government is getting involved in things they have no business knowings.

Yeah so this is question around regulation, correct?

We've got some anarchists on this board who will happily welcome you into their ranks

I agree not all regulations are "good". Some are outdated, some are lobbied by industry to provide barriers to entry, some are created simply to siphon rents for government, and some are genuinely sensible.

For example, what if you put all your drywall screws through the romex and it started an electrical fire, and burned down your house and died? Or even worse if it burned down half the block, and threw out the transformer and the neighborhood lost power?

Building codes exist for a few reasons:1- the homeowner's safety and assurance2- the safety and assurance of your neighbors3- shared lower costs of insurance premiums4- general ease of burden on shared services (utility services/repairs, firefighters, ambulances, etc.)

LC

do you really believe someone inspecting hung sheet rock can tell if the screws are puncturing the romex?

LC the very fact that we see increased regulation, increased laws, increased social programs, should be evidence enough that the government thinks it knows what's best for you. Just last month I had to have an inspector come into my house and look at the screw patterns on my drywall to make sure it was "safe." Only once I paid $100 and had this approved was I allowed to put mud over it. Sure, this is on the local level, but the principle is the same. Government is getting involved in things they have no business knowings.

Yeah so this is question around regulation, correct?

We've got some anarchists on this board who will happily welcome you into their ranks

I agree not all regulations are "good". Some are outdated, some are lobbied by industry to provide barriers to entry, some are created simply to siphon rents for government, and some are genuinely sensible.

For example, what if you put all your drywall screws through the romex and it started an electrical fire, and burned down your house and died? Or even worse if it burned down half the block, and threw out the transformer and the neighborhood lost power?

Building codes exist for a few reasons:1- the homeowner's safety and assurance2- the safety and assurance of your neighbors3- shared lower costs of insurance premiums4- general ease of burden on shared services (utility services/repairs, firefighters, ambulances, etc.)

Wrong....that would be called a racket...What's next? Every private home be required to purchase a fireproof cabinet to store gasoline and all small engines? There is a line that's being crossed. Btw if you're competent enough to hang sheet rock then you're competent enough to know that you don't run Romex on the face of a stud....

I mean, the only actual point your argument leads to is either:(1) a rationalization of some regulations, in which case I agree and have already said as much, or (2) a removal of all regulations, in which case I've again already mentioned how happily the anarchist board members will welcome you to their ranks.

Otherwise you are just complaining that "the big bad government" made you pay for a code inspection. What a tragedy.

LC the very fact that we see increased regulation, increased laws, increased social programs, should be evidence enough that the government thinks it knows what's best for you. Just last month I had to have an inspector come into my house and look at the screw patterns on my drywall to make sure it was "safe." Only once I paid $100 and had this approved was I allowed to put mud over it. Sure, this is on the local level, but the principle is the same. Government is getting involved in things they have no business knowings.

Yeah so this is question around regulation, correct?

We've got some anarchists on this board who will happily welcome you into their ranks

I agree not all regulations are "good". Some are outdated, some are lobbied by industry to provide barriers to entry, some are created simply to siphon rents for government, and some are genuinely sensible.

For example, what if you put all your drywall screws through the romex and it started an electrical fire, and burned down your house and died? Or even worse if it burned down half the block, and threw out the transformer and the neighborhood lost power?

Building codes exist for a few reasons:1- the homeowner's safety and assurance2- the safety and assurance of your neighbors3- shared lower costs of insurance premiums4- general ease of burden on shared services (utility services/repairs, firefighters, ambulances, etc.)

Wrong....that would be called a racket...What's next? Every private home be required to purchase a fireproof cabinet to store gasoline and all small engines? There is a line that's being crossed. Btw if you're competent enough to hang sheet rock then you're competent enough to know that you don't run Romex on the face of a stud....

Do you know how explosive gasoline is? Should regular people even be able to buy and store that in there homes without a license and explosives training. You know this is what will happen once 90+% of the cars on the road become electric. The moment the government decides to highly control gasoline is the moment there will be major news stories of mass murders carried out with gasoline bombs. You'll see groups "Moms Against Gas" holding die-ins in front of gas stations.